Common Wealth in Wales Toward a free, equal, mutual and sustainable society

1
Common Wealth in Wales Toward a free, equal,
mutual and sustainable society
Wednesday 21st April, Torfaen Peoples Centre,
Pontypool
Dr. Steven Harris, Science Shops Wales,
University of Glamorgan
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The Earth is an Integrated System
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The Earth System is in Crisis
Over the last two decades a new imperative has
come to dominate environmental concerns. With a
rapidly increasing understanding of the nature of
Earths life support system, a growing awareness
has emerged that human activities are exerting an
ever-accelerating influence on aspects of Earth
System functioning upon which the welfare and the
future of human societies depend. IGBP Global
Change and the Earth System A Planet Under
Pressure (2004)
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The Global Picture - Recent Studies

• Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United
  Nations
• Reports on food and sustainability (2004-8)
• The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
• Global Change and the Earth System A Planet
  Under Pressure (2004)
• The UNEP Millennium Ecosystems Assessment
• Living Beyond our Means (2005)
• Ecosystems and Human Well-Being (2005)
• United Nations Environment Programme
• Global Environment Outlook 4 environment for
  development (2007)
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• Synthesis Report of the IPCC Fourth Assessment
  Report (2007)

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Findings

• The global atmosphere is warming - as a result,
  the global climate is changing. These changes are
  happening more rapidly, and are likely to be more
  extreme, than recently anticipated.
• One to two-thirds of all species of plants,
  animals, and other organisms may die out over the
  coming decades.
• Many of the natural resources and services upon
  which humanity depends are severely depleted or
  degraded
• Billions of people around the world lead lives
  marred by thirst, hunger, poverty and conflict.

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A Common Cause - Us

• All studies clearly identify human activity as a
  primary cause of the Earth System Crisis
• The 20th Century has seen exponential growth in
  human populations, made possible by the
  industrial-scale exploitation of natural
  resources and services particularly fossil
  fuels (coal, oil and gas)
• The globalised industrial economy is committed to
  continuing growth in production and consumption
• Growth demands ever-increasing energy and
  resource inputs
• Growth results in increasing levels of pollution,
  resource depletion, species loss and ecosystem
  degradation

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Increasing rates of change in human activity
since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
(1)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
(2004). Global Change and the Earth System A
Planet Under Pressure
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Increasing rates of change in human activity
since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
(2)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
(2004). Global Change and the Earth System A
Planet Under Pressure
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Global-scale changes in the Earth System as a
result of the dramatic increase in human activity
(1)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
(2004). Global Change and the Earth System A
Planet Under Pressure
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Global-scale changes in the Earth System as a
result of the dramatic increase in human activity
(2)
International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme
(2004). Global Change and the Earth System A
Planet Under Pressure
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our economy is killing the Earth
New Scientist, 16 October 2008
This is the logic of free-market capitalism the
economy must grow continuously or face an
unpalatable collapse. With the environmental
situation reaching crisis point, however, it is
time to stop pretending that mindlessly chasing
economic growth is compatible with
sustainability. Figuring out an alternative to
this doomed model is now a priority.. From
Why politicians dare not limit economic growth by
Tim Jackson, pp. 42-3.
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Growth Addiction

• Views humans as individualistic, tribal,
  competitive
• Views nature as a resource separate, infinitely
  exploitable
• Celebrates benefits of technology, ignores costs
• Values present (much) more highly than the future
• Disproportionally benefits those with capital,
  increasing the concentration of asset ownership
  and further widening gaps between rich and poor
• Has structural lock-in to existing economic
  system
• Money as Debt
• Return on Investment
• Employment
• Is utterly dependent on concentrated, high value
  energy inputs

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A Local Example 3 Planet Wales

• Wales 2003 ecological footprint was 5.16 global
  hectares per person (X 3 global carrying capacity
  of 1.8 gha pp)
• The footprint of Wales has increased at an
  average rate of 1.5 per year between 1990 and
  2003.
• This closely mirrors the growth in Gross Value
  Added (GVA) in Wales over the same period
• Between 1990-2008 energy consumption increased by
  5.1 - there were decreases in industrial energy
  consumption but large increases in domestic (12)
  and transport (21) energy consumption
• If the historic growth in footprint were to
  continue at rate of 1.5 a year, this would
  result in an ecological footprint 20 higher than
  the 2003 figure (6.19gha/capita) in 2020

E. Dawkins, A. Paul, J. Barrett, J. Minx and K.
Scott (2008). Wales Ecological Footprint -
Scenarios to 2020. Stockholm Stockholm
Environment Institute
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Growth Depends on Energy
There has also been a very close relationship
between the rate of growth of world output and
the rate of growth of its consumption of oil.
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Growth Creates Pollution
The link between economic activity and global
warming The rate of increase in world Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) has moved very closely in
step with Carbon Dioxide emissions from fossil
fuel use.
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Benefits of Degrowth

• Longest recession in UK since records began
  economy shrank by 6 since 2008
• UK emissions of Co2 fell by 9.8 - from 533m
  tonnes in 2008 to 481m tonnes in 2009
• Overall output of the six main greenhouse gases
  fell by 8.6.
• Bigger reductions in one year than all the other
  years of Labour government put together
• According to DECC, main cause reductions in
  energy consumption as economy contracted
• Globally, the International Energy Agency
  estimated world CO2 emissions to have fallen by
  around 3 in 2009 - only the fourth recorded fall
  in the past 50 years on average global
  emissions have grown by 3 year on year.

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Efficiency is not the Answer

• Research has demonstrated that that
  technological progress that increases the
  efficiency with which a resource is used, tends
  to increase (rather than decrease) the rate of
  consumption of that resource
• This is the famous Jevons Paradox, first noted
  with regard to coal consumption - an increase in
  the efficiency with which a resource (e.g., fuel)
  is used causes a decrease in the price of that
  resource when measured in terms of what it can
  achieve (e.g., work). A decrease in the price of
  a good or service increases the quantity
  demanded.
• This type of Rebound Effect has three aspects
• Increased fuel efficiency lowers the cost of
  consumption, and hence increases the consumption
  of that good because of the substitution effect.
• Decreased cost of the good enables increased
  household consumption of other goods and
  services, increasing the consumption of the
  resource embodied in those goods and services.
• New technology creates new production
  possibilities in and increases economic growth

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Whats to be Done?

• Macro-level reforms are possible, e.g.
• Design for steady-state economy
• Decouple money creation from debt
• cap and trade carbon emissions
• Massive investment in renewables
• green taxes on polluter pays principle
• tax land value
• provide statutory citizens income
• But politicians and policy-makers locked into
  growth at all costs complete culture change
  required
• Power of corporations, direct and through
  advertising
• So real change must begin at the grassroots and
  margins

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Reclaiming the Commons

• Ecosystems science has shown us that the great
  interlocking systems of nature are our true
  common wealth, providing the conditions for all
  life on Earth
• The Commons are resources required by all,
  without which human activities are impossible
  such as woodlands, atmosphere, fresh water,
  fisheries and grazing land
• The commons can also be understood to include the
  products of collective human culture art,
  science, religion public goods such as public
  space, education, healthcare and essential
  infrastructure, such as roads, power transmission
  and telecommunications networks.
• There is also a genetic commonwealth seeds and
  crop strains, the human genome.
• In theory, all should have equal rights of access
  to the commons
• Enclosure or accumulation by dispossession is
  the process by which the commons are transformed
  into private property is termed enclosure
• Privatization and commodification of public
  assets is a process of transferring property such
  as buildings, land, and water from public to
  private ownership, providing new means of making
  private profits and driving economic growth.
• The enclosure of the commons has been called the
  revolution of the rich against the poor.

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The Real Common Wealth of Wales

• Cultivated grazing land for food, fuel and
  dwellings
• Uncultivated land for biodiversity ecosystems
  services
• Woodlands for timber and fuel
• Wind, Wave and Solar power for energy
• Fresh Water
• Roads, railways, power and telecomms networks
• Our healthcare system and infrastructure
• People Skills, History Culture

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Solutions - Frameworks

• Cooperatives
• Social Enterprises
• Community Finance Initiatives
• Credit Unions Microfinance
• Community Currencies
• Timebanks and Barter schemes
• Community Land Trusts

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Solutions - Actions

• Community Renewable Energy/microgeneration
  Projects
• Community/localised Food Production
• Community-supported agriculture
• Community-supported Schools
• Communiversities
• Low-impact development

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Wales People Economy

• 2009 population 2,993,000
• 1,316,000 or 69.4 of those of working age were
  employed (UK average 72.5) - average full-time
  earnings in 2008 498 per week
• 8.1 unemployed, up from 5.6 in 2008.
• GVA (Gross Value Added) of the Welsh economy in
  2007 was 44.3 billion, around 14,880 per head,
  25 lower than the overall figure for the UK
• Gross disposable household income (GDHI) in 2007
  for Wales was 37.5 billion or 12,574 per head
  of population. This represented 87.8 per cent of
  the UK figure, down from 88.0 in 2006
• Poverty in Wales affects all age groups (Kenway
  Palmer, 2007). There were more working-age adults
  in poverty than children and pensioners in
  poverty combined, with poverty among disabled
  working-age adults higher than a decade
  previously
• 10 of 16- to 18-year-olds not in employment,
  education or training.
• Child poverty in Wales 28. Around 1 of children
  in situations likely to lead to serious
  disadvantage
• Wales is among the poorest and slowest growing of
  the 10 regional economies of the UK

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Wales Renewable Energy

• Sustainable renewable energy potential to
  2020/2025
• Current Electricity consumption 23 TWhr pa
• Potential total capacity 48 TWhr pa
• Wales has potential to become net electricity
  exporter
• Source WAG. (2010). A Low Carbon Revolution

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Wales - Land People

• The total land area of Wales is around 2.1
  million hectares
• 1.5 million hectares are used for agriculture,
  85 grassland and rough grazing.
• In 2004, land use in Wales consisted of 62
  permanent grass (1010000 ha), 23 rough grazing
  (383000 ha), only 11 arable land (177000 ha) and
  4 woodland and other lands including set-aside
  (64000 ha)
• Currently around 3 million people live in Wales
• Overall population density 140 people per Km2
• UK average 246/Km2.
• Population is unevenly distributed in Wales e.g.
• Torfaen has 717/Km2 and Blaenau Gwent 631/ Km2
• Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire 74/ Km2
• Powys 45 Km2.
• We have a lot of space!
• Used effectively, grassland and marginal, rough
  grazing could be among our greatest assets

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The Green Valleys ProjectBrecon Beacons National
Park

• Community Interest Company - Low Risk - High
  Return seed projects
• Support, advice and finance packages for local
  groups
• 5 local groups Talybont, Crucorney, Dyffryn
  Crawnon, Cwmdu and Llangattock
• Community Microhydro projects Dyffryn Crawnon
  16kW Talgarth 3.5 kW Cwmdu 7.5kW Llangattock
  3 kW, 6.9kW, 15kW and 16kW Crucorney 8kW
  Llandeussant 11 in development phase
• By 2012 community hydros will be generating over
  100k per annum for reinvestment in low carbon
  projects
• 155 homes reduced carbon emissions by 20
• Community owned electric cars
• 2 community woodland groups established
• Setting up community commercial lending
  facilities
• Establishing Upland Restoration Fund to safeguard
  ecosystem services
• Long-term aim to make National Park a
  carbon-negative region

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Cwmdeithas Cwm ArianHermon, Glogue and
Llanfyrnach, Pembrokeshire

• 200 houses and farms around 3 villages
• Local Community Forum all voluntary
• Pub closed bought Marquee and reopened!
• In 2003 formed CLT raised 137,000 for
  affordable housing
• Opposed closure of local primary school - failed
• Developed and agreed Community Action Plan 2004
• Formed Community Cooperative raised 65,000 in
  share issue
• Formed Credit Union and made small loans to buy
  shares now 0.5m in savings
• Celtic Blue Rock Community Festival non-profit,
  all proceeds to charity/community funds - 10,000
  attend each year
• School buildings purchased, now Community
  Resource Conference Centre hosting IT
  facilities and 3 business startups
• Plans to build small industrial units
• 2009 gained funding to install 2 community wind
  turbines (1.4 MW) to generate income for
  community investment fund
• Now planning to reopen school, employ own teachers

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Cwm Harry Land TrustNewtown, Powys

• Social Enterprise - charity company limited by
  guarantee - employs 10
• Aims to demonstrate a sustainable, closed loop
  system of food production and food-waste
  management
• Collects food waste from 10,000 local households
  and businesses
• Processes waste produces compost energy
  through anaerobic digestion
• Produces food locally on own land and through
  network of local suppliers
• Distributes local, seasonal and organic food
  through Veggie-bag service

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Bro Dyfi Community RenewablesMachynlleth, Powys

• Est. 2001 - community energy co-operative
  registered under Industrial and Provident
  Societies Acts one vote per shareholder
• 59 shareholders, shares 100, max holding 1000
• Only institutional shareholder the Energy Savings
  Trust
• Dividends from EST's shares are put into a
  Community Energy Saving Fund, for reinvestment
  locally
• Installed 75 kilowatt Vestas wind turbine at
  Cilgwyn, 2003 - Produces c 163 megawatt-hours
  (163,000 units) pa
• First dividend to shareholders, 2004
• Now installing new 500kW wind turbine on Mynydd
  Glandulas c 1,000 megawatt-hours pa
• Power purchase agreement  (PPA) with Good Energy
  will yield more than 100 per MW hr generated

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Lammas Eco-village Glandwr, Pembrokeshire (1)

• 76 acres of pasture and woodland
• Developing 9 eco-smallholdings, a community hub
  building and a seasonal campsite
• Completely independent of mains services -
  microhydro, biomass, rainwater harvesting and a
  spring) from the land. Designs for the houses
  include a 4-unit terrace, an earth sheltered
  house, straw bale houses, a cob house, and more.
• All houses being self-built with materials
  sourced from the site, and will blend into the
  landscape 
• Surrounding smallholdings will produce food and
  support land-based enterprises basketry, smoked
  hams, hazelnuts, woodland products, wool crafts
  and medicinal herbal preparations.

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Lammas Eco-village Glandwr, Pembrokeshire (2)

• Transformation of land use through Permaculture
• intensive horticulture, heavily reliant on human
  skilled input, which sets out to create
  artificial, self-sustaining ecosystems which
  produce food and energy yeilds for humans
• Has the potential to revolutionise perceptions of
  the Welsh countryside
• 76 acres that Lammas has purchased was supporting
  approximately 195 ewes, bringing in a yearly
  income of approximately 2,500 - a small
  percentage of one farming familys income 
• Lammas year cash flow forecasts and productivity
  accounts suggest that after a 5
  year establishment period, the land will produce
  the equivalent of approximately 108,000
  land-based produce per annum - a living for nine
  families